Overview

• PlayStation CEO Hermen Hulst says teams will undergo much more rigorous and more frequent testing to catch issues sooner, aiming to limit failures to early, lower-cost stages.
• The company is de-emphasizing the number of live-service launches in favor of building diverse player communities rather than chasing volume targets.
• Hulst highlights an intentional push to create original IP that can grow into franchises beyond gaming, referencing The Last of Us as a model.
• Sony leaders point to earlier development gates, user testing, and improved cross-studio coordination to address past siloed processes.
• Concord was pulled from sale with refunds after a weak launch, and its failure led to Firewalk Studios’ closure, prompting the new safeguards.